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Nancy Smith

Nelson's Claims of Russian Election Hacks in Florida Now Officially Confirmed Unsubstantiated

August 22, 2018 - 6:00am
Bill Nelson
Bill Nelson

It's time for Sen. Bill Nelson to stop the act. He's been caught. His claims of Russian hackers "fixing" Florida's elections system are unsubstantiated.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and FBI Director Christopher Wray wrote in a five-paragraph letter dated Monday that they are not aware of any new or persistent hacks that have compromised state or local election systems in Florida, countering public statements the state’s senior senator made Aug. 8 to Tampa Bay Times reporters. 

I Beg to DifferWhile acknowledging intrusions are possible, the federal officials' letter said, “We have not seen new or ongoing compromises of state or local election infrastructure in Florida.”

The story was played prominently in the Tuesday morning edition of The Wall Street Journal.

“Secretary Nielsen and Director Wray are very clear in their response that … we have not seen any new or ongoing compromises of state or local election infrastructure in Florida...’ Detzner confirmed Tuesday.

In fact, Nelson spilled the beans himself last week. By mistake. See the YouTube video on this page, especially the moment of surprise when he realized he was being recorded.

What he told the Times about Russian hackers Aug. 8 scrambled reporters and cameras and elections officials, and put the governor on his heels, wasting his time for nothing:

"They have already penetrated certain counties in the state and they now have free rein to move about," Nelson said. Though the Democrat made a similar statement a day earlier, he refused to elaborate at that point. "That's classified," he said.

What did happen July 2 is, Nelson and Florida's junior senator, Republican Marco Rubio, wrote to all of the state's 67 supervisors of elections to make them aware of the dangers. But nowhere in the letter did they say evidence existed Russians were hacking into Florida's elections system.

The national Republican Party is generous, suggesting Nelson might have been "just confused" when he unleashed his lie. But I don't feel that generous. The senator who has served in elected office almost entirely since 1972 has been reaching for a crisis, even if he has to make one up -- anything to get him before a camera -- from toxic algae blooms to Homestead to Walton Beach to Russian hackers on our doorstep. The man is desperate. 

In his bid for re-election he trails his challenger, Gov. Rick Scott. Even the incessant liberal-media barrage counting Scott failures can't alter the good news that surrounds the governor.

Meanwhile, as late as Monday, Nelson was on the Senate floor talking about voting, but never once did he mention his claims about Russian hacking in Florida, nor did he refute them.

Admit you went too far, Senator. None of this is amusing. Early voting has already started. It was wildly irresponsible for you to let  this lie linger, needlessly casting doubt on the integrity of Florida’s elections in order to give your campaign and self-importance a boost. 

Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith

Comments

No Surprise,...Nothing to see here... "Move along folks, "Zippy" is in his 'death throes'...."

No Russians involved in the fixing of the 2000 election in Florida. Just a bunch of Florida Republicans doing the fixing! They did a pretty good job of it. No Russians required!

An informative link on Russian (and Iranian) hackers targeting thoughtful, thinking GOP conservatives, Nancy - not just a Sunshine News hit piece aimed at Bill Nelson. Nelson was raising a warning flag. http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/402938-russian-hackers-turn-on-anti-kremlin-conservatives?rnd=1534892613/?userid=141676

Our own legislature and media has created such a disruption to our electoral process that the Russians are rolling on the floor laughing!

typical partisan hit piece... He was just saying they did it before and will do it again. It was proven just yesterday that they were at it again, this time hitting at Spanky's own party detractors... No news here, except your favorite... SSN has become the new "fake news". Too funny...

Try again. Nelson declared Russian penetrated (his word) our elections and had free rein in our system. Note all the officials disputing his claim and demanding proof, which he fails to provide.

ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha youre kidding, right? Nelson lies like a blanket and SSN is fake news? ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. Go away Democrat troll.

How do you think Nelson's lies compare to Trump's lies? And, if you blithely accept Trump's habitual lying ... why wouldn't you accept Nelson lying? You make no sense.

Did I say I accepted anybody's lying? Tactical distraction, Ted. Typical Democrat response.

Perfect example of “Liar, Liar! Pants on Fire!!”

Several comments here provide examples of what "Russian hackers" actually do to undermine responsible government.

Five term senator? Nancy, put away the fuzzy math. He has served since 2001. And the only "wildly irresponsible" thing he's ever done is run a weak campaign that could allow the worst flim-flam con artist to come down the pike get near a seat in the US senate.

Amen, Joe! But you're dealing with a tribalist or a cultist here ... and there's no explaining how a sane, rational person could support anybody like a Trump or a Scott ... or one of their 'wannabes' like DeSantis.

You are entirely right about my fuzzy math. Bill Nelson hasn't been in the Senate for five terms. He has been in elected office since 1972, all except the brief periods he had to quit to run for another office. I've made the correction and apologize for my error.

He started in the House in 1972.

This geriatric old fool knows he will be beaten like a rented mule and is sowing the ground so he can claim it was fixed Just like the Russia Russia excuse that terrible candidate made up, it is bogus What a sad legacy Nelson has. To finish with claims of a fraud when he has been one all his life is very accurate

"Zippy" has been fudging his resume to the "Lobbyists" for 15 years....... BUT Congressional "excess baggage" need not apply..!

More self-projection - or might you be one of the Russian hackers?

Another page from the liberal playbook invalidated. More 'fake news' by the left. When the going gets tough, crate a sideshow to divert attention away from dealing with substantive issues and hope the sensationalism generated by the buzz words "Russian hacking" overcomes closer voter examination of his time in office.

This old fool's been lying to you for years and you knew it but you still voted for him. Pathetic.

So, Nelson's an "old fool" at 75 ... but Trump, at 72, isn't? Which of the two would you say has been the B-I-G-G-E-R fool over the last 20 months, Mr. Kirk? And, how long before 65-year-old Rick Scott qualifies as an "old fool"? (And, the only "Claude Kirk" I know of was born in 1926 (definitely making him an "old fool" ... if he was still alive) ... and, like Rick Scott, Kirk was also a carpetbagger governor of Florida ... actually born in San Bernadino, California. AND, he was a registered Democrat until just before being elected to his one very unremarkable term as Florida's governor in 1968 ... the first "fake" Republican governor in Florida in 100 years!) Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle.

...and the "spacey Zippy" has been "in the clouds" his whole life; and 'once upon a time', on a brief spaceship "ride" ("Don't touch any buttons or switches Senator "Zippy", just enjoy the ride and look out the window... just like you will in the "Assisted Living" home, where you'll STILL be "spacey""...)

Comments are now closed.

nancy smith
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